Illuminating device



March 9, 1943, Y A; OLF,

ILLUMINATING DEVI-CE Filed May 21, 1941 .m w m m M. A. @w

47-70 NEW Patented Mar. 9, 1943 IILUMINATING DEVICE Abraham Wolf,Brooklyn,

Electric Corporation,

ration of New York N. Y., assignor to Noma New York, N. Y., a corpo-Application May 21, 1941, Serial No. 394,481

8 Claims.

This invention relates generally to illuminating devices. Moreparticularly, the invention relates to an improved construction forilluminating devices of the ornamental or decorative type.

The principal object of my invention is to provide in a device of thecharacter described highly improved means for holding the source ofillumination in position and to so construct and arrange this means thatthe source of illumination may be easily mounted on the device withlittle effort by unskilled labor without the use of tools.

It is another object of my invention to provide highly improved holdingmeans of the character described, which include an ornamental membermounted on the source of illumination.

A further object of my invention is to provide an illuminating device ofthe character described which shall present a neat and pleasingappearance, comprise relatively few and simple parts, and may bemanufactured with ease and economy.

Certain features of this device shown anddescribed but not claimed inthis application are shown, described and claimed in my copendingapplication for Illuminating devices, Serial No. 330,960, filed April22, 1940.

Other objects of my invention will in part be obvious and in parthereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts which will beexemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which thescope of application will be indicated in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing, in which is shown one of the variouspossible embodiments of my invention: v

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of an ornamental illuminating deviceembodying my invention;

Figs. 2 and 3 are side and rear views thereof;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 4-4 ofFig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 6 is a front elevational view of the halo member shown in Fig. 1apart from the device.-

Referring now to the drawing, I have shown an ornamental device I0 inthe form of an angelic figurine with which may invention can beeffectively employed. i

The device I0 comprises abust II molded from a suitable composition,suchas papier-mach or ground cork, and provided at its lower extremitysubstantially with a circular supporting stub [2. A hard paper tube l3,which is provided to aid in attaching the figurine to a device, such asa branch or trunk of a Christmas tree, telescopically receives the stubl2 and is fixedly attached thereto by a staple l4. Suitable ornamentalfabric material is neatly draped about the figurine to serve as a dressand to cover the tube l3. A belt l6 and a plurality of staples (notshown) are employed to maintain the fabric on the bust ll. Furtherdecorativeefiects may be provided, if desired, as for examplesurmounting the figurines head with a paper tiara ll.

In accordance with my invention, I provide in conjunction with thefigurine II] a source of illumination and means to hold said source in adesired predetermined position on the figurine, said means being soconstructed and arranged that it may be manually secured to the figurinein an extremely simple manner and without the use of tools. The sourceof illumination preferably comprises an electric bulb I 8 screwed into ahusk I9 and connected to a source of current supply by lead Wires 20.Mounted on the light bulb I8 is a halo member 2| which may be of thetype shown and described in mysaid copending application, and comprisesa fiat disc -22 of a thickness substantially less than the bulb 18. Thedisc is provided with a cut-out extending inwardly from its periphery,said cut-out including a portion 23 having a contour substantiallyconforming to the peripheral contour of the adjacently disposed portionof the bulb I 8 and a portion 24 of a width at least equal to theextreme diameter of the husk I9 and adapted to extend downwardly belowthe top edge of the husk.

The disc is made of suitable light-transmitting material, such as glass,Celluloid or any similar plastic composition, and is provided adjacentthe periphery thereof with a pair of bevels '25 and 26 at an angle ofsubstantially 45 to the plane of the disc, as shown in the drawing. Saiddisc is held in position around the bulb by means of a washer member 21having a central aperture 28 adapted to freely receive the screwthreaded base of the bulb [8, said aperture, however, being smaller thanthe portion of the bulb adjacent the base. A pair of diametricallyopposed flanges 29 extend oppositely from the periphery of the washer2'! and are provided with inwardly extending notches 30 in which aresnugly received notches 3! cut in the portion 24 of the disc.

The bottom face of the washer 21, when the halo member 2| is in positionon the bulb l8,

rests upon the top rim of the husk I!) while the upper face of the saidwasher is adjacent the glass of the bulb 18 so that the halo member isheld in upright position surrounding the said bulb. The disc may, byaltering the diameter of the aperture 28, either be firmly held orallowed t wobble slightly, but its position in both cases is in certainor predetermined relationship relative to the bulb 18.

To hold the halo member 2| and bulb 18 in position on the figurine I0, Iprovide means which are so constructed and arranged as to slidinglyfrictionally engage and grip opposite sides of the bulb and halo member.If desired, such means can be made in a highly ornamental shape so as toenhance the decorative effect of my improved ornamental illuminatingdevice. Said holding means comprises a U-shaped support 32 permanentlyattached to the torso ll inv any suitable manner, as by nails 33. Thesupport 32 is preferably made of a material which is form-maintainingbut which has a slight degree of resilience under manual flection, suchas a light gauge metal.

Extending outwardly from the upper legs of the U-shaped support 32 are apair of integral coplanar flanges 34, each of which has attached heretoby rivets 35 a wing-shaped member 36. Said members may be fabricatedfrom a suitable form-maintaining material, such as silvered cardboard,which is only slightly flexible and which may be embossed to simulate awing-like appearance.

Integral with and extending upwardly from the curved base of the support32 and substantially 3 tangent to the head of the figurine I0 is anotherflange 37 substantially parallel to the flanges 34 and wings 36, andspaced therefrom a predetermined distance slightly less than thedistance between the two oppositely disposed points on the bulb l8 andhalo member 3! which it is desired to frictionally engage and grip.These points on the bulb and halo member in the specific embodiment ofmy invention herein disclosed are the point A on the widest diameter ofthe bulb l8 and the surface B of the halo member which is opposite tothe surface of said member facing the point A. The flange 3! may also beornamentally contoured and arranged, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, toresemble a star hovering behind the figurine and thus camouflage itsutilitarian function.

It will be seen that in order to assemble the illuminating device afterthe figurine has been prepared and the support 32 with attached wingsnailed to the body II, it is merely necessary to manually slip the bulbI8 with the halomember 2| and husk l9 assembled thereon towards thesupport with the face B of the disc 22 lying against the surface of thewings 38 facing the flange 3i, and with the point A of the bulb l8against the said flange 37. As the bulb and halo member are pushed down,the wings 36 and flange 31 will spread slightly, allowing the husk toenter into the U-shaped support 32 until the washer 2i strikes theflanges 34, as shown in Fig. 3. When the bulb and halo member are thenreleased, they will be gripped between the wings and flange with whichthey are in frictional contact, so as to maintain the bulb in positionthroughout packing, shipping and use of the ornamental illuminatingdevice I0.

It will thus be seen that there is provided a device in which theseveral objects of this invention are achieved, and which is welladapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention,and as various changes might be made in the embodiments above set forth,it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in theaccompanying drawing is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent:

1. In an ornamental illuminating device of the character described, anelectric light bulb, an

' ornamental mounting member attached in such position with respect tosaid bulb that an extreme portion of one side of said member will bedisposed in predetermined relationship relative to an extreme portion ofthe bulb which is on the other side of said member, a pair of ornamentalsupporting members, said supporting members being spaced apart adistance slightly less than the space between the extreme portion ofsaid mounting member and the extreme portion of said bulb, and resilientmeans to allowsaid supporting members to move apart whereby saidsupporting members will lightly frictionally and slidably grip betweenthem said mounting member and said bulb at said extreme portions, oneofsaid ornamental supporting members, said ornamental mounting member, andthe other of said ornamental supporting members being successivelydisposed behind and having their side edges extending beyond thepreceding member whereby to be visible at least in part from the frontof said device.

2. In an ornamental illuminating device-of the character described, anelectric light bulb, an ornamental mounting member attached in suchposition with respect to said bulb that an extreme portion of one sideof said member will be disposedin-predetermined relationship relative toan extreme portion of the bulb which is on the other side of saidmember, a pair of substantially parallel ornamental supporting members;said supporting members being spaced apart a distance slightly less thanthe space between the extreme portion of said mounting member and theextreme portion of saidbulb, and resilient means to allow saidsupportingmembers to move iapart whereby said supporting memberswill;-lightly frictionally and slidably grip between them said mountingmemberand said; bulb at said extreme portions, one of said ornamentalsupporting members, said ornamental mounting member, and the otherofsaid ornamental supporting members being successively disposed behindand having their side edges extending beyond the preceding memberwhereby to be visible at least in part from the front of said device.

3. In an ornamental illuminating device of the character described, anelongated electric light bulb, a flat ornamental member, means to holdsaid member to said bulb so that it is substantially parallel to andcoplanar with the longitudinal axis of said bulb, a pair of ornamentalsupporting members, said members being spaced apart a distance slightlyless than the distance between one side of said flat member and anopposite extreme portion of said bulb, and-resilient means to allow saidsupporting members to move apart whereby said supporting members willlightly frictionally grip between them said flat member and said bulb,one of said ornamental supporting members, said flat 'ornamental memberand the other of. said ornamental supporting membersbeing successivelydisposed behind and having their side edges 'extending beyond thepreceding member whereby to be visible at least in part from the frontof said device.

4. In an ornamental illuminating device of the character described, anelongated electric light bulb, a flat ornamental member, means to holdsaid member to said bulb so that it is substantially parallel to andcoplanar with the longitudinal axis of said bulb, and means to supportsaid flat member and said bulb, said means comprising a pair ofornamental flanges of resilient material, spaced apart a distanceslightly less than the space between one side of said flat member and anopposite extreme portion of said bulb whereby said flanges will lightlyfrictionally grip between them said flat member and said bulb, one ofsaid ornamental flanges, said ornamental flat member and the other ofsaid ornamental flanges being successively disposed behind and havingtheir side edges extending beyond the preceding member or flange wherebyto be visible at least in part from the front of said device.

5. In an ornamental illuminating device of the character described, anelongated electric light bulb, a flat ornamental member, meansassociated with said bulb to hold said member to said bulb so that it issubstantially parallel to and coplanar with the longitudinal axis ofsaid bulb, and means to support said flat member and said bulb, saidmeans comprising an ornamental flange of resilient material" and a pairof spaced ornamental flanges, said pair of flanges being coplanar, andbeing parallel to and spaced from said first mentioned flange a distanceslightly less than the space between one side of said flat member and anopposite extreme portion of said bulb whereby said flanges, when saidbulb is disposed between said pair of flanges, will lightly frictionallygrip between them said flat member and said bulb, said first mentionedornamental flange, said flat ornamental member and said second mentionedpair of ornamental flanges being successively disposed behind and havingtheir side edges extending beyond the preceding member or flange wherebyto be visible at lea-st in part from the front of said device.

6. In an ornamental illuminating device of the characaer described, anelongated electric light bulb, a flat ornamental member, meansassociated with said bulb to hold said member to said bulb so that it issubstantially parallel to and coplanar with the longitudinal axis ofsaid bulb, and means to support said flat member and said bulb, saidmeans comprising a U-shaped member having an ornamental flange extendingfrom the base thereof and a pair of ornamental flanges extending in,opposite directions from the ends of the legs thereof, said leg flangesbeing coplanar with each other and parallel to said base flange, saidleg flanges being spaced away from said base flange a distance slightlyless than the space between one side of said flat member and an oppositeextreme portion of said bulb whereby said flanges, when said bulb isdisposed between said pair of flanges, will lightly frictionally gripbetween them said flat member and said bulb, said ornamental baseflange, said ornamental flat member and said ornamental leg flangesbeing successively disposed behind and having their side edges extendingbeyond the preceding member or flange whereby to be visible at least inpart from the front of said device.

7. In an ornamental illuminating device of the character described, afigurine, an elongated electric light bulb disposed behind the figurine,a support therefor, a light-transmitting member surrounding said bulband adapted to transmit light therethrough, said member being providedwith a bevel adjacent its periphery so that light transmittedtherethrough from said bulb will be refracted forwardly at said bevel tocause a halo effect surrounding said bulb, said member being disposed ina plane substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said bulb andconcentrically with the head of said figurine, the center ofillumination of said bulb being disposed substantially centrally of saidlight-transmitting member, means for supporting said member in suchposition relative to said bulb, and means for supporting said member andsaid bulb in such position relative to said figurine, said last namedmeans comprising a pair of spaced resilient members attached to saidfigurine, one of said members .being adapted to lightly frictionallyengage a portion of said bulb and the other of said resiilent membersbeing adapted to lightly frictionally engage an opposite side of saidhalo member.

8. In an ornamental illuminating device of of the character described, afigurine, an elongated electric light bulb disposed behind the figurine,a support therefor, a light-transmitting member surrounding said bulband adapted to transmit light therethrough, said member being providedwith a bevel adjacent its periphery so that light transmittedtherethrough from said bulb will be refracted forwardly at said bevel tocause a halo effect surrounding said bulb, said member being disposed ina plane substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said bulb andconcentrically with the head of said figurine, the center ofillumination of said bulb being disposed substantially centrally of saidlight-transmitting member, means for supporting said member in suchposition relative to said bulb, and means for supporting said member andsaid bulb in such position relative to said figurine, said lastnamedmeans comprising a pair of spaced resilient members attached tosaid figurine, one of said members being adapted to frictionally engagesaid bulb and lie substantially tangent to the head of said figurine,said member being larger in at least one dimension than said head andhaving its edge decoratively formed and the other of said resiilentmembers being adapted to lightly frictionally engage an opposite side ofsaid halo member.

ABRAHAM WOLF.

